The present invention relates to apparatus and methods for locating and stacking punchings to form generally annular arrays of superposed punchings and particularly relates to apparatus and methods for packaging punchings in annular arrays to facilitate lifting secured sets thereof and disposition in a generator stator frame.
Stator core laminations, i.e., punchings, are generally arranged in a plurality of annular arrays thereof forming sets or packets of adjacent stator core laminations. The sets of annular arrays of laminations are axially spaced one from the other by space blocks and installed in a generator stator frame. The space blocks define ventilation passages for directing a cooling flow radially through the stator. Typically, the assembly of the laminations into the generator stator frame is performed manually by disposing the laminations on dovetail-shaped keybars which have male projections complementary to the female projections along the outer diameter of the individual laminations. An alignment gauge is manually employed to align the punchings relative to one another and in the stator frame. It will be appreciated that the generator stator frame is an area which is difficult to access, which compounds the problem of installing the punchings in the stator frame at appropriate locations.